THE POLICE Regional Office Cordillera (PRO-Cor) recorded a downtrend in focus crimes in the region over the past three years.
In the weekly radio program “Pulis Mo, Kaibigan Mo”, PRO-Cor Operations Chief Police Senior Superintendent Homer Penecilla pointed out that majority of the criminal cases are related to the use of illegal drugs.
“For the past years since 2016 until this year, records show of a downtrend in focus crime incidents in the region. Records also show the downtrend is related directly or indirectly to the use of illegal drugs,” Penecilla said.
Focus crimes are those related to crimes against property and persons like murder, homicide, physical injuries, theft, robbery, and carnapping.
Meanwhile, Baguio City and La Trinidad registered the highest number of criminal cases due to its population and environment while vehicular traffic accident consist of the major contributor to the number of cases in the region.
“Baguio City remains to be the leading area in the region when it comes to crimes committed. Lately we have seen an increase in vehicular traffic accidents wherein it reaches around 300 cases or at 65 percent,” said Penecilla.
PRO-Cor identified vehicular traffic accidents to have claimed more deaths than the common crimes wherein aside from its effects on the lives of persons, it also affects properties.
The regional command continues to apply its strategy on enhanced management of police operations wherein it focuses on the most prevalent or common crimes committed in an area and looking at ways on how to bring down the number of the specific criminal offense.
“We have gotten out of that concept because there are locals in the region having no cases of crimes. Focus crimes are those frequently committed crimes like in Baguio City where it records theft and physical injuries as its leading criminal case, the objective here is how to bring the cases down,” Penecilla added.